Steam plant



Feb. 15', 1944. K. F. oLlN 2,341,738

STEAM PLANT Filed Dec. 18, 1940 2 sheets-sheet 1 2 Sheets-Sheet4 2 K. F.oLm

STEAM PLANT Filed Deo. 18, 1940 l .n j@ lip/e Feb. 15, 1944.

Patented Feb. 15, 1944 Application Decemberl, 1940, SerialNo. 370;7'1'1In Sweden April 5, 1938V 2y 0121111111.v (ci. 237-67) This `inventionrelates to a steam plant comprisin-g at least two steam systems fordifferent pressures, having steam-consuming, devices and -having steamtraps coupled between the steam systems of different pressures. In suchplants a leakage ofV steam often occurs in the steam traps,'

for instance as a result of valves being inefficaciously closed, valvesand valve seats being corroded, or impurities such as pieces ofpackings, precipitations of boiler scale or rust flakes being jammedbetween the valve and the seat, thereby impeding the valve from beingtightly. closed. Furthermore for different reasons, such as wear and toogreat play in joints, steam traps may get locked and thereby be put outof function.

Besides a loss of fuel, a leaking steam trap involves the risk thatother machines or heating apparatus connected in parallel to the samesteam and condensation-water system may be put out of service due toback steam from the leaking steam trap preventing the escape of thecondensation water.-

In a steam power plant, comprising more than two, for instance three,steam systems of diiferent pressures, a first group, comprising a numberof steam-consuming devices with steam traps in series with a steamseparator, may be connected between the systems of the highest and theintermediate pressure and a second such group between the systems of theintermediate and the lowest pressure, and the outlet pipe forcondensation water from the steam separator in said rst group may beconnected with thev steam separator in said second group.

With this invention it is possible `without inconvenience to use closedcondensation water systems regardless of the number of steam systems ofdifferent pressures, so that leakage steam and the heat of thecondensation water can be continually utilized without the risk of astoppage of machines owing to hindered escape of their condensationwater. A fault may also be easily located.

The invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical section of a steam separator according to theinvention,'and

Fig. 2 is a diagram of a steam power plant a with such separators.

In th'e drawings I indicates the casing of a steam separator forcollecting the condensation water and leakage steam coming through apipe 5 from a number of steam traps (not shown) belonging to highpressure apparatus located bevfore the separator: The end of the pipe 5is provided witha silentY working mouthpiece located below the waterlevel in the casing I.. The water level is indicated by a water gaugeglass 3 andthe steam pressure by a manometer ll'. By means of parallelplates 2 water particles are separated from the steam when passingbetween the plates, and the steam passes to a steam system of lowerpressure through a pipe l provided with a throttle valve 8 and a two-Way valve 9. The condensation Water leaves the container at the bottomthrough a pipe lil, which is conducted at an angle up to a level abovethe mouthpiece E and is provided with a trap II. The steam pipe 1 andthe water pipe It are connected by a pressure levelling pipe I2 with awater trap I3, a stop-valve I4 and a non-return valve I5. I6 is a watersupply pipe and Il an air escape or vacuum valve. v

For the leakage control based on the steam pressure the manometer 4 maybe used, and this can suitably be combined with a steam whistle I9provided with a safety-valve. For the continuous indication aregistering pressure instrument I8 can be placed on the steam separator,For the temperature indication a thermometer 2U or the like is providedin the pipe 'I for the steam and another 2l in the pipe for condensationwater. It is thus possible to ascertain the condition within theseparator and be aware of faults in the steam traps connected thereto.

Fig. 2 shows diagrammatically the use of the steam separators in asteam-power plant comprising three steam systems, for instance in apaper mill. To a high pressure steam conduit H for, e. g., 8 atm.pressure are connected a number of sulphite boilers F1, F2, Fs and F4with steam traps K1, K2, K1 and-K4, which in groups of two in each areconnected with the steam separators A1 and A2 of the construction shownin Fig. 1. From these separators steam is supplied to a low pressure netL for, e. g., 2 atm. pressure. To the net L are connected dryingcylinders F11 and F12 with steam traps K11 and K12, from which steam andcondensation water are conducted to the steam separator A11, and fromthis steam passes to a conduit V under a pressure of 0.5 atm. To A11also the condensation water outlets from the steam separators A1 and A1may be connected in order to utilize the heat in the condensation waterfrom the latter. Finally, for the purpose of local warming, radiatorsF21 and F22 may be coupled between the conduit V and a return pipe O tothe feed water tank lower pressure steam system, an outlet pipe forcondensation water on a level above the bottom of said steam separator,an inlet pipe for condensation water and leakage steam from said steamtraps ending on a level lower than the highest level of said outlet pipefor condensation water, and means for indicating the condition of thesteam within said steam separator.

2. A steam plant, comprising three steam systems of diierent pressures,a first group of apparatus, comprising a number of steam-consumingdevices connected at one end to the system of the highest pressure andat, the other end, in series with a steam trap and only by pipes adaptedto convey condensation water, to a common steam separator having anoutlet for condensation water and a steam outlet, said steam outletbeing connected to the system of the intermediate pressure, a secondgroup of steamconsuming devices connected at one end to the system ofthe intermediate pressure and at the other end each in series with asteam trap to a second common steam separator having an outlet forcondensation Water and a steam outlet connected to the system of thelowest pressure, said steam separators having means for indicating thecondition of the steam within said steam separators, said outlet forcondensation water from the steam separator in said rst group beingconnected with the steam separator in said second group, said outlet forcondensation water from the steam separator in said second group beingconnected with a return pipe, and steamconsuming devices connectedbetween said system of the lowest pressure and said return pipe.

KRISTIAN FRIDOLF OLIN.

